Method and system for generating fully-textured 3D

Abstract

A 3D modeling system for automatically generating fully-textured 3D models of objects from a sequence of images taken around the objects is disclosed. There are several processes developed to facilitate the operation of the 3D modeling system by an ordinary skilled person. One of the processes is the automatic calibration of a camera using only a portion of a calibration disc to essentially provide a larger effective field of view of the camera. Another process is a space carving process that subdivides volumetric cells recursively to fit to a 3D object using a tree structure that encodes the entire process. Still another process is a 3D mesh model generation process that begins with the tree structure and generates self-constraint and interconnected triangles, in a sense that all triangles intersect with each other either not at all or at common boundary faces, to represent the shape of the 3D object. Yet still another process is a textured patch process that provides a useful mechanism for a user to edit and modify a fully-textured 3D model in a desired manner by the user.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefits of the provisional application, No. 60 / 093,335, filed Jul. 20, 1998, entitled “Generation of Fully-Textured 3D Models System”, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention generally relates to 3-dimensional (3D) scanning and measuring systems and more particularly relates to methods and systems for generating 3D fully textured models from 2-dimensional imagery of 3D objects acquired by a color video imaging system.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Three-dimensional (3D) models of objects can provide information useful for a variety of applications such as generating computer aided design models from physical objects in product designs, outlining biological structures or organs in medical research and generating digital characters for computer games. Nevertheless, the creation of the 3D models h...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]The invention relates to techniques that provide for automatically generating fully-textured 3D models of objects from a sequence of images taken around the objects. A 3D modeling system employing the invention disclosed herein is easy to set up, virtually anywhere within minutes, and operated without specific knowledge to scan and measure a 3D object and electronically replicate a fully-textured 3D model of the object.

[0011]One aspect of the invention provides a solution for automatically calibrating a camera using only a portion of a calibration disc, which essentially provides a larger effective field of view of the camera, hence more freedom to place an object to be imaged and a higher image resolution.

[0012]Another aspect of the invention is a space carving process. Volumetric cells or cubes are recursively subdivided to fit to a 3D object using a tree structure that encodes the entire process. All cubes are labeled with one of three colors one of which indicates that a cube is partially occupied by the object. The partially occupied cubes are recursively subdivided to fit into the object up to a predefined degree of refinement. To improve the overall performance of the space carving process, mask images are respectively encoded using what is called a Maximal Area Encoding scheme that now makes it possible to have the space carving process performed independent of the size of the images.

[0015]The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including a method, a system and a computer readable medium containing program code for automatically generating a fully-textured 3D model of an object without extensive knowledge, intensive labors and expensive equipment. The advantages of the invention are numerous. Different embodiments or implementations may yield one or more of the following advantages.

[0016]One of the advantages is an economical and efficient 3D modeling system that is low in cost and easy to operate, virtually anywhere within minutes. The modeling system employing the present invention can be used and operated by an ordinary skilled person to generate fully-textured models of 3D objects within a limited time for many applications including Internet commerce and product designs. Another advantage is the various efficient data processes in the present invention that are designed to minimize system overhead and reduce computation complexities and thus can be executed in many computing devices such as a laptop computer or a portable device.

Problems solved by technology

Nevertheless, the creation of the 3D models has in the past required highly skilled professionals, extensive artistic knowledge, expensive modeling equipment and laborious efforts.

The accuracy of the systems may be high but the systems are costly.

Further the digitizing speed is usually slow when the object is large in size and limited by the mechanics of the scanning system.

The above systems are either costly or require substantial knowledge to operate and not applicable in many applications that can not afford the cost and complexity.

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